Dan Rutherford

Dan Rutherford
Rutherford in 2009
73rd Treasurer of Illinois
In office
January 10, 2011 – January 12, 2015
GovernorPat Quinn
Preceded byAlexi Giannoulias
Succeeded byMike Frerichs
Member of the Illinois Senate
from the 53rd district
In office
2003–2011
Preceded byJudy Myers (redistricted)[1]
Succeeded byShane Cultra
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives
from the 87th district
In office
1993–2003
Preceded byLes Conkling
Succeeded byBill Mitchell
Personal details
Born (1955-05-26) May 26, 1955 (age 69)
Pontiac, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Alma materIllinois State University

Dan Rutherford (born May 26, 1955) is an American politician who served as the 73rd Treasurer of Illinois from 2011 to 2015. A member of the Republican Party, he previously was the Illinois State Senator from the 53rd district from 2003 to 2011 and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003.

Early life and education

Rutherford was born in Pontiac, Illinois.[2] During elementary and high school Rutherford worked at his parents' pizza restaurant.[3] and attended Pontiac Township High School. Following high school, Rutherford attended Illinois State University. While at Illinois State University, Rutherford was elected Student Body President.[4]

Business career

While on a business trip to Japan in 1984, Rutherford became familiar with the ServiceMaster Company. One year later, he joined the Downers Grove, Illinois-headquartered company as an executive. Rutherford eventually became responsible for expansion of the company's businesses internationally, licensing services in Chile, Brazil, Honduras, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Guam, Venezuela, South Africa, Spain, and a host of other countries. ServiceMaster is a family of service companies that operated with trade names such as ServiceMaster clean, Terminix, Tru-Green Chem Lawn, Merry Maids, American Home Shield, and Rescue Rooter during this period.

Political career

Early political career

In 1978, Rutherford served as a legislative aide to then-State Representative Thomas W. Ewing. During the 1980 Republican Party presidential primaries, Rutherford coordinated a congressional district for the campaign of Ronald Reagan. He eventually became the statewide executive director in Illinois. After a brief stint working for Governor James R. Thompson, Rutherford managed the 1982 campaign of Ty Fahner, whom Thompson had appointed to the position of Illinois Attorney General. After Fahner's loss, Rutherford returned to Thompson's administration, this time as the manager for the International Business Division of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.[5][6]

In 1991, Robert Mosbacher, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, appointed Rutherford to the International Service Advisory Committee. The committee was tasked with reviewing various American trade deals and the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs.[7]

Illinois General Assembly

Rutherford defeated incumbent Les Conkling in the 1992 Republican primary.[8] In an unusually competitive general election for the otherwise staunchly Republican area of the state, Democratic candidate and basketball coach Chuck Rolinski came within two percentage points of defeating Rutherford.[9][10] Rutherford eventually became Assistant Republican Leader.

In the 2002 Republican primary, Rutherford defeated Brian Heller, a member of the Tazewell County Board, for the Republican nomination for the newly drawn 53rd district.[11] In the Senate, Rutherford served as the ranking Republican for the Financial Institutions Committee and was a member of the Environment & Energy Committee. Senator Rutherford also served on the bi-partisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules.

As a lawmaker, Rutherford sponsored and directed legislation which changed the formula for reimbursing nursing homes for care of the elderly. The new system bases rates on the medical needs of the resident, rather than just their geographic location in the state. [citation needed]

Political campaigns

During the 2008 Republican Party presidential primaries, Rutherford served as the Illinois state chairman for the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney.[12] Rutherford was also on Romney's delegate slate for Illinois's 15th congressional district.[13]

2006 Illinois Secretary of State campaign

See also: 2006 Illinois state elections § Secretary of State

On September 12, 2005, Rutherford officially announced his campaign for the office of Illinois Secretary of State. Rutherford faced incumbent Democratic Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White, of Jesse White Tumbling Team fame, and Green Party candidate Karen Young Peterson,[14] in the November, 2006 election, but lost to Jesse White.

2010 Illinois Treasurer campaign

See also: 2010 Illinois elections § Treasurer

Rutherford won the open seat of Illinois Treasurer. Also running were Democratic nominee Robin Kelly, Green Party Party nominee Scott K. Summers and Libertarian nominee James Pauly.

2014 Governor

See also: 2014 Illinois gubernatorial election
Gubernatorial campaign logo

On June 2, 2013, Rutherford officially announced his candidacy for Governor of Illinois.[15] His running mate was attorney Steve Kim.

Rutherford lost in the 4-way Republican primary to businessman Bruce Rauner, taking 7.55% of the vote.

2014 scandal

In February 2014, a former employee of Rutherford, Edmund Michalowski, filed a federal complaint alleging that Rutherford had sexually harassed him and had pressured him to do political work on state time.[16][17] The complaint was filed just a few weeks before Rutherford was scheduled to face off against the other contenders in the Republican gubernatorial primary. Rutherford denied all allegations[18] and charged that they were the work of his political opponent, Bruce Rauner.[19] Rutherford vowed that he would continue on in the race[20] A judge dismissed some of Michalowski's claims, such as Michalowski being forced to do political work on state time and Michalowski re-filed in April 2016, alleging harassment by Rutherford and four others. In November 2017, attorneys for Rutherford and Michalowski agreed that the lawsuit be "dismissed without prejudice", meaning that it could be re-filed.[21]

Personal

Rutherford has never been married. He has crewed in many Chicago-to-Mackinac Island races and is an Advanced Certified Diver. Rutherford has traveled to all seven continents.[22]

Electoral history

  • 2010 election for Treasurer of Illinois[23]
    • Dan Rutherford (R), 49.9%
    • Robin Kelly (D), 45.1%
    • Scott Summers (G), 3.2%
    • James Pauly (L), 1.9%
  • 2006 election for Secretary of State of Illinois

References

  1. ^ Illinois Blue Book 2001-2002. p. 124. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
  2. ^ "Meet Dan Rutherford". Illinois State Treausrer. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 19, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  3. ^ "About Dan Rutherford". Illinois State Treasurer. Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 19, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  4. ^ Bond, Brendan (January 1, 2014). "Fun Facts V: Dan Rutherford". Reboot Illinois. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  5. ^ Eckert, Toby (March 12, 1992). "Ewing's Departure Leaves Seat Wide Open". Peoria Journal Star.
  6. ^ Illinois Blue Book 1983-1984. p. 217. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  7. ^ "Pontiac man appointed to trade post". The Pantagraph. March 29, 1991. p. D1.
  8. ^ Bodily, Amyllen L.; Klemens, Michael D. "Election results: Good-bye status quo". Illinois Issues. Sangamon State University. pp. 8–10. ISSN 0738-9663.
  9. ^ Olsen, Dean (November 4, 1992). "Edley, Rutherford Hold Slim Leads in House Races". Journal Star.
  10. ^ Pollock, James. "New members of Illinois House: The issues they view as most important to constituents and state". Illinois Issues. Sangamon State University. p. 19. ISSN 0738-9663.
  11. ^ "Rutherford wins senate spot". Daily Journal. March 20, 2002. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
  12. ^ Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T., eds. (May 23, 2007). "Press Release: Dan Rutherford Joins Romney For President As Illinois State Chairman". The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  13. ^ Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T., eds. (November 8, 2007). "Press Release - Governor Mitt Romney Announces The Illinois Delegate And Alternate Slate". The American Presidency Project. University of California, Santa Barbara. Archived from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  14. ^ "Cook County Clerk's Office". Archived from the original on 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2006-10-18.
  15. ^ "Dan Rutherford Running for Governor 2014 June 2, 2013". Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  16. ^ Dietrich, Matt (February 10, 2014). "HERE IS EX-EMPLOYEE'S HARASSMENT LAWSUIT AGAINST RUTHERFORD". Reboot Illinois. Associated Press. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  17. ^ Chase, John; Garcia, Monique (February 10, 2014). "Rutherford fires back at allegations of sexual harassment, political pressure". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  18. ^ Pearson, Rick (February 1, 2014). "GOP governor candidate denies unknown allegations". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  19. ^ Dietrich, Matt (February 1, 2014). "Rutherford charges Rauner behind effort to "destroy him"". Reboot Illinois. Associated Press. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  20. ^ "Dan Rutherford: 'I'm going to continue on'". Politico. Associated Press. February 11, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  21. ^ Sam Charles (November 22, 2017). "Dan Rutherford federal sex harassment suit dismissed". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved June 9, 2019.
  22. ^ Bond, Brendan (January 1, 2014). "Fun Facts V: Dan Rutherford". Reboot Illinois. Associated Press. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2014.
  23. ^ "Live election results • Chicago Tribune Election Center". Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
Party political offices
Preceded by
Kris O'Rourke Cohn
 Republican nominee for Secretary of State of Illinois
2006 		Succeeded by
Robert Enriquez
Preceded by Republican nominee for Illinois Treasurer
2010 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Treasurer of Illinois
2011 - 2015 		Succeeded by